Life During Wartime
by Lucreace
Summary: After the final battle, Hermione is sent undercover as an Auror to find any of the remaining Death Eaters and incover any plots that might have arisen after the death of Voldemort. Instead of being sent alone, like she thought, she is sent with a mentor to assist her. When she discovers her mentor is none other than Severus Snape, she is less than pleased.
1. 1 - Introduction

**OK, so here's the deal. I am writing this using a set of 100 prompts, each of which are going to be the chapter titles. I am also going to use the same list for a Dragonlance fanfiction to see where they both go. An ambitious project perhaps but I want to give it a try. Each chapter will be approx. 500 words unless the story (or reviewers) demand they be longer. I hope you enjoy reading them!**

 **Lu.**

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This had not been Hermione's idea of a good time. Her appointment at the Auror office had been swift and without question. She was a hero after all and they knew what she was capable of. With her head held high, she had walked into the office after her summons, knowing they were going to have some sort of special assignment for her. Likely she was going to be put in the field to try and track down some of the missing Death Eaters. Sort of like cleaning up after the party, she'd been prepared for all of that. Mentally and physically at least.

What she had not expected was to be assigned to someone else. As a sort of apprentice. She had not expected to be told that she was going undercover with her mentor and that the war they had fought was far from over. Sitting at her desk, she starred down at the letter that explained all this. They hadn't even had the guts to tell her in person, instead sending a note merely to inform her of this.

They'd been bloody crafty as well! The deadline for complaints and other issues had been the day before, the day they had sent the letter. To complain now would make her look tardy and that would tarnish her reputation. One that she had worked hard to keep while she had been at Hogwarts, she would be damned if that was going to change now!

As she made her way to the central office, she tried to swallow her ire. She hoped that her mentor would be someone she would be able to relate to. Someone who would teach her something decent at least, perhaps someone like Remus, or Moody, they would be great to work alongside and she knew she would learn a lot from them. In fact, the idea was warming in her mind as she walked along the corridor. By the time she reached the door, her smile was back in place and she was sure this was going to be a good thing.

All her cheer drained from her when she opened the door and stepped inside. Sat in the chair on the other side of the desk was her erstwhile professor. The lank, black hair of Severus Snape had not changed; neither had the hooked nose or the intense glare of derision either. Nor had the way her stomach clenched as he gazed at her, "Believe me Granger, I am about as happy with this as you are," he said. The colour drained from her face and she shook her head swiftly.

"I don't suppose there is any changing it?" she asked.  
"None. I already tried," he drawled. Great. So he had that much confidence in her he'd already tried to get rid of her. She glanced down at her hands and let her shoulders sag.

"I suppose we're in for a long few months then," she muttered.

"I suppose I am," he replied. She sucked in a breath and let it out slowly, so much for having a great time learning. She guessed there was nothing left to do but suck it up and get on with it!


	2. 2 - Start

Apparently, the first order of the day was to pick up a few things that would make them both less obvious. Hermione wondered about the wisdom of sending them both into the field together. It wasn't as though they were unknown after all. They were both war heroes and their faces had been seen by all sorts of people since the final battle.

Final battle… as they walked in stony silence through diagon alley, she wondered at her perception of that particular day. If it had been a final battle, like they all thought it had been, why was there still an issue? Perhaps Voldemort wasn't as dead as the ministry had made out. Although she couldn't be so sure about that either, she had seen with her eyes the battle between Harry and the Dark Lord.

"Miss Granger, I never had you pegged as a day-dreamer, do wake up and keep that mind of yours focused on the task as hand," Snape said. She kicked herself and nodded.

"Sorry Sir," she said without thinking. The sigh that escaped her former professor's lips told her of his ire and she swallowed, her tongue feeling a few sized too big for her mouth.

"No, not anymore," he snapped, "The role we play now is infinitely different to the one in that school," he added. She bit her lower lip and nodded.

"What shall I call you then?" she said, "It doesn't seem right using your first name and if you think I am calling you 'Master' then think again."

Her attempt at humour fell flat and he snorted. "Then use my last name and have done with it," he quipped, "That would be a good place to begin," he muttered under his breath. She watched as he flicked black strands from his forehead and she pulled face at his back, not caring if he saw it. As far as she was concerned, he and his skinny butt could go to hell. What was his problem anyway? It wasn't like they were in school anymore!

She followed him into the first of the shops they were to frequent that day and began looking around for what they needed. Mainly sundries but there were a few bits she wanted to pick up, including a book on disguise charms. She began searching the shelves, away from her irritable mentor and found what she was looking for. Opening the front cover, she discovered that it contained all that she thought she would need.

Moving to the counter, she found Snape waiting for her. He glanced at the volume she placed down and gave a nod, "Good choice," he said. She didn't reply, just gave a sort of half smile to acknowledge his words. As soon as she had paid for the book, they turned and left the store. The frosty silence descended once more and Hermione began to doubt that the moment of approval had even happened. Unable to do anything else about it, she resumed following behind Snape and hoped that this trip would be over and done with as soon as possible.


	3. 3 - Challenged

As soon as Hermione arrived home, she pulled her new book from the bag and headed to the couch. The excitement of learning something new flowed through her veins, as it always did and the smile on her face was genuine as she sank down into the chair. A fresh cup of tea was at her side in an instant, but just before she could get properly settled, there was a knock at the door. Rolling her eyes, she placed the book to the side. The door was opened before she got there and in strode Harry.

"Hello," she said with a smile.

"I've heard," Harry said. The expression on his face was grim and his arms were folded over his chest. "I tried to get it changed but there was no way of doing so," he added.

Hermione let out a sigh and motioned for him to come into the kitchen, where she made another brew, "It's alright," she said after a moment.

"Really?" Harry said.

"Sure, I mean…" She paused as she let her thoughts settle for a moment, "Alright, well, he may not be the most likeable person in the world, and most people wouldn't want to work with him but, well, he did manage to fool The Dark Lord for all those years which makes him pretty good at this sort of thing," she said. Harry's face told her that she was rambling a little and she fell silent.

"But it's Snape…"

"I'm not going to bitch and whine about something I can't change Harry," she said as she handed him his mug of tea. His expression didn't relax as he took the cup and followed her into the living room.

"How can you trust him though?" His words irritated her more than anything but she bit back the retort that built on her tongue, smiling instead.

"I'm not going into it Harry, it is what it is and I intend to make the most of it, as far as I'm concerned, Snape is going to push me to my limits, which is what this is all about. It's not a holiday or a joy ride, it's so I can learn my job." Hermione slumped back into the chair and pulled her book back onto her lap. Harry took the hint it seemed and was content to sip his tea.

"Have you heard from Ron?" he asked after a moment.

"Not recently," she said, "Haven't you?" Harry shook his head and Hermione frowned. Although Ron was one to go off and do his own thing, he never left it that long before getting in touch. "Where was he?"

"He said he was going back to Hogwarts to assist with something up there but not hearing from him is a bit strange," Harry said. Hermione nodded.

"I doubt it's anything untoward," she said after a moment, "He is able to look after himself after all and he's probably busy with the rebuilding."

"I'll send him an owl," Harry said.

"I'm sure he's just forgotten how much time has passed," Hermione said. "Good idea though."

"Just to be safe."

Harry drained his tea and finally seemed to notice the book in her lap. After that, he quickly made his excuses and left her in peace with her new book. Once he was gone, Hermione's attention was engulfed by the new knowledge she could find buried within its pages.


	4. 4 - Lessons

The following day, Snape appeared in her front room bringing with him his usual cheer. The light and joy seemed to drain from the room when she looked up from her book and noticed who it was. When her offer of tea was declined, she merely sat there, waiting for him to voice the thoughts that were clearly going through his head. When he didn't speak, she rolled her eyes, "What is it?" she asked.

It would appear that he had been waiting for her to ask as he immediately began speaking, "How much of that have you read?"

She glanced down at the book on her lap and shrugged, "About two thirds."

"What have you covered?"

"I can cast rudimentary disguises and charms," she said. "Do you require a demonstration?" He shook his head and she wondered why he had bothered asking in the first place.

"What do you have ready?"

"Ready?" she frowned.

"Yes Hermione, or did you think we were going to conduct our little excursion from the comfort of your living room?" he snapped. She opened her mouth to speak but his raised hand silenced her. "You won't need much, I suggest you go and get it."

She didn't need telling twice, she scampered out of the chair and darted into the bedroom. Grabbing one of her backpacks, she shoved in the bare essentials before letting out a sigh. She had no idea where they were going or what they would be doing. Not even sure if she would come back to her little flat. She shook her head, dismissing the melancholy thoughts; they'd do her no good on this journey. Somehow, she knew she would need good fortitude on this trip. Picking up one of her scrunchies, she tied back her waves of unruly brown hair and nodded.

Snape was waiting for her exactly where she had left him, he hadn't moved at all. "I have everything," she said, remembering not to call him sir this time.

"Don't forget that book," he said, pointing to where she had left it on the couch.

"Right," she nodded and placed it at the top of her bag, "Where are we going?" she asked. No answer was forthcoming; instead, Snape stepped forward and took hold of her arm. His grip was firm yet not painful.

"You'll find out in a moment," he replied. The unpleasant sensation of sidelong apparation followed. It felt as though her insides were being squeezed through a pipe that was altogether too small for her. The odd screaming sensation intensified, and just as she thought it was too much, the appeared at their destination. It appeared to be a forest. Hermione took a moment to steady herself when Snape released her arm before looking around. Yes. Definitely a forest. There were miles of trees as far as she could make out. The wind rustled the branches and she looked around in confusion.

"Where are we?" she asked,

"This way Hermione, it's a short walk but I'd rather get there before it rains..." She had no choice but to follow her mentor to wherever their destination was. All the while, her mind flashing through different scenarios of where they could be going.


	5. 5 - Shattered

**Hi folks, sorry for the delay in updates, I have been away at my sisters and as such, not had time for writing. Here is the latest for you now though.**

Snape has said that it would be a short walk to the place they were going. He'd lied. An hour later and they were still trudging through the forest. The heavens had opened shortly after they had started, as predicted and now she found she was wet, hungry and her legs ached. There was no way she was going to complain about it, not verbally anyway, that would be a bit like admitting defeat, like this task was too much for her to complete and Snape had been right about her all along.

The cold rain had somehow seeped through all her layers; the fabric of her clothing rubbed against her skin as they walked, making it uncomfortable to walk. Wind cut through her wet gear and she shivered as she slumped along behind Snape. She wrapped her arms around her chest and focused on the ground in front of her. The path had turned to sludge, making it all the more difficult to trek through. As they crested another rise and saw no sign of the compound, Hermione rolled her eyes and let out a sigh.

Unable to stop herself, she asked, "Is it much further?"

"Just over the next hill," was the answer. Snape had informed her that there was an anti-magic field generated over the place, to prevent anyone from aparating into the area and discovering where the base was. As such, she was unable to cast anything to warm herself up. Having nothing else to do but follow, she fell silent again and returned her gaze to the floor. The steady drip of rain falling from the leaves and onto the leaf littered ground. The crunch of stones under the feet was the only other sound; that was until she coughed.

The next rise took another ten minutes to top but as soon as they did, she breathed out a sigh of relief. There, nestled amongst the trees, was a wooden building. Lights were on and that meant it would be warm, and more importantly, dry! Hermione picked up the pace a little, drawing level with Snape and actually giving him a smile. The nod she got in response was more than enough to keep the smile fixed to her face.

When they approached, Snape opened the door and she darted in behind him. The inside was much akin to that of a log cabin, except it was much larger. No one was there to greet them at the door but she could hear the sound of voices coming from within. "I assume you would be in need of tea?" Snape said. Hermione nodded, a little surprised at the gesture; perhaps he wasn't all bad after all.

"The kitchen is down the hall and to the left, you should find everything you need there. When you're done, join us in the living room." With that, Snape left her standing in a puddle of rainwater. So much for him being kind then. Huffing a little, she tore off her wet outer layers, hung them up and went to find some tea. Feeling nothing but tired, she poured it out and decided that joining the others in the living room was the only option left. At least it was a bit warmer inside.


	6. 6 - Answers

The moment she was in the living room, she breathed out a small sigh of relief, Snape was sat at the table, furthest from the fire. Next to him was Moody and Remus, there was also Tonks there, relaxing in a comfortable chair, her belly rounder than ever. She gave Hermione a winsome smile and patted the vacant chair beside her. Thankfully, it was also closest to the fire so she'd be able to warm up somewhat as well. She gave her friend a grateful smile and sank into the chair with a sigh, "You must have some questions." It was Moody who spoke.

She turned to look at the crazy looking man and nodded, "That would be an understatement," she said as she sipped her tea, "Where are we?" she asked.

"This is a secure Auror facility that's in the Thetford forest," Moody answered. Right, that was the first one done.

"Why am I here?"

"Training," Snape replied, "Or did you think we were just going to shove you in the field as you were?" She was a little taken aback by that and shut her mouth before she could blurt out anything stupid. She had sort of thought that was what would happen but now, when she really thought about it, she realised that it had been a foolish notion.

"What does this training involve?" she asked.

"We're going to teach you how to survive while you're going to have very little contact with others within the wizarding world," Remus explained.

"But how?"

"One of them will be able to cast spells without using a wand for start, you will also how be able to guard your thoughts from others. How to fight without any use of all is another."

"Do self defense then?" Hermione said.

"As well as a multitude of other things as well," Snape said.

"In a couple of weeks you'll be far more confident than you are," Tonks said, "You need to undergo this training in order to prepare you for the other tasks that are before you. But don't worry, for tonight, you'll be free to be yourself," she added. Hermione nodded, unsure what the whole task would entail but sure that she would be fine with learning it. She took a sip of her tea and fell silent, unsure what else to say to those who were clearly more experienced that she was.

"Is there anything else?" Snape asked. She wearily shook her eyes and her mentor rose to his feet. "I shall leave you until the morning." With that, he stepped from the room and left her to it. Hermione felt somewhat relieved now that he was gone.

"I have no idea what to expect," she said as the set her now empty cup on the table.

"Don't worry about it for now, we can discuss it more in the morning." Remus said. He smiled at her then and she forced herself to relax, at the moment, she cleared her mind and pushed the uncertainly aside, she could worry about it tomorrow.


	7. 7 - Breakfast

The following morning found Hermione feeling so much clearer than she had the night before. The bed in which she had slept had been comfortable and her sleep deep and untroubled. The morning sun had gently brought her back into the land of wakefulness and the scent of coffee and bacon sandwiches had done the rest. One hot shower later and she sat at the table ready to begin the day with a clear mind. Remus had presented her with fresh coffee and something to eat, which had improved her already cheerful mood.

"Morning Hermione," Tonks said as she waddled into the dining room. "Sleep alright?"

"Yes, thanks," she said as she bit into the sandwich.

"That's good, you've a long day today, going to make Hogwarts study look like a walk in the park," she said with a wink. Hermione nodded, certain that although it was going to be tough, she would be able to cope with the studies. "Physical stuff too," she added.

"Physical?" she asked with a frown.

"Yeah, basic self-defence and all that, you're not going to be able to use magic all the time, we're convinced that the Death Eaters are using Muggles for some of the more mundane work that they refuse to do themselves." She sat herself down in a chair opposite Hermione and Remus brought her a glass of fruit juice.

"Like what?" Hermione said when he had left again.

"Like transporting their goods from one place to the other, basic captures; that sort of thing." Tonks said, "There was the one job that involved muggles, they'd been using them to practice new spells on…" her words trailed off and she shuddered, "I never want to see anything like that again."

"Chances are that you'll hear about it," Moody said as he staggered into the room. He carried a sandwich of his own and although his eye roamed the room as it always did, he was focused on his food as well.

"Mores the pity," Tonks said. Silence lapsed as they each focused on the food before them; Hermione had the feeling that she was going to need her strength that day, and for the next few days as well for that matter. She was a little perturbed when Snape did not join them. She had not seen her sullen mentor since he had retired the night before and she wondered where he was.

She didn't dwell on his absence however, as her thoughts were brought back to the moment. "Hermione, you're going to need to change into some sort of training gear, and I don't mean the wizarding kind," Remus said. His voice was kindly but she understood the meaning well enough. "We'll meet you out the back in about an hour," he added before leaving the table.

"We?" Hermione frowned, a small tingle growing in the base of her spine.

"Of course, we're all going to be there to help you." Tonks said. Hermione swallowed, her throat dry. More like to watch her completely fail at any physical pursuit she tried. She forced her nerves down and left the table, she had to get ready for this great humiliation after all!


	8. Seeing Red

Hermione's heart thundered in her chest, sweat stung her eyes. Her throat was dry and every muscle in her body screamed for attention. Still, she kept going. Her endurance for physical exercise had never been that high and now, she was regretting the disregard she had been paying to that area of development while she had been busy studying at Hogwarts. Would it have killed her all that much to go out for a run now and then? It was certainly killing her now! She sucked in another hissing breath that did little to relieve the burning in her chest.

Still, she threw herself forward, forcing herself to run when all her body wanted her to do was collapse in a heap on the floor and never move again. Her calves screamed as she crested the next rise and her head swam. Still, she did not give up. Tonks had said that there might come a time when she was forced to run, unable to apparate out of a dangerous situation. What if she was chased by dogs; she'd need all her strength then! The thought sent a chill through her and she forced herself onwards that little further.

Looking directly ahead proved to be her undoing. An unseen root snagged her foot and she tumbled through the air, her momentum carrying her forwards even as she hit the ground. What little wind she had left was knocked from her. Her head smacked on the wet floor and the world lurched. Hermione did not stop. She pushed herself upright once more and forced herself to keep doing. After all, if the fall had happened while she was being chased than she' not be able to afford the luxury of a break, why should training be any different? Her lungs did not thank her.

By the time Hermione reached the compound again, her face was red, her legs were shaking and she knew she was covered in mud from her fall. Tonks frowned at her but she lacked the air to be able to explain it. Leaning on her knees, she pulled in huge lungful's of air, willed her heart to stop pounding and the world to stop spinning. "How did I do?" she asked when she finally managed to find her voice.

"Not bad," Remus stepped forward holding a stopwatch. "Though I dare say you're going to be very sore tomorrow," he added.

"Try not to push yourself so hard Hermione, you'll end up injuring yourself," Tonks said, "Well done though, you got all the way around without stopping at least."

Hermione knew her smile was weak, she'd really pushed herself to set a decent time but she got the feeling that all she had done was average. Part of her wanted to know how well Tonks could do it, most of her didn't. She ran a hand over her face, pushing sweat soaked hair from her face and shivered. "I think I'm going to shower," she said.

"Don't take too long, we've got a lot more to get through today," Remus said. She sighed before dragging her feet up the stairs and into the washroom, it was going to be a long day!


	9. Eternity

That was how the next few days, which merged into weeks passed. In the morning she trained hard, in the afternoons, she learned hard. It didn't take long for her body to begin changing. Although Hermione had never considered herself out of shape, she knew that she had been. Her tummy and upper arms began to tighten and her thighs seemed to shrink before her eyes. Instead of being soft curves, she was turning into a lean, fit thing, not akin to the athletes she had seen competing in the marathons on the muggle news.

She saw her mentor perhaps once or twice a week. Their conversations were stilted and awkward as always but she looked forward to spending time in the field with him regardless. He never trained with her, claiming that his physical state of being was as good as it ever would be and that he maintained this in privacy, rather than for all and sundry to see. She made no counter argument, it would be pointless and besides, she wanted to go work with him, not bicker constantly.

It seemed like an eternity before she heard anything about an actual assignment and what she was told, was little more than the bare bones. She sat beside her mentor in the kitchen with Moody, Tonks and Remus, the letter detailing their work in front of them.

"This is nothing!" Hermione said, scanning the words once more. A look was exchanged between Remus and Tonks; she couldn't help the flush that coloured her cheeks.

"It's enough though," Moody said.

"You're not looking at the details, merely reading the words," Snape said, as though that was what she should have been doing from the beginning. Hermione kept the sigh that built inside and picked up the letter again, reading it carefully.

"'Operation based in Ealing, begin tomorrow.'" She spoke allowed and let the words sink in a little further. They started tomorrow and wuld be searching in Ealing, that was all it told them and yet… when she thought about it, it gave them their task clear enough. To set up somewhere in the area and see what they could find out on their own. Moody nodded as the information sank in; a small smile crept onto her face, "I should go and get everything ready," she said.

Her superiors nodded and she rose from the couch. A thrill scuttled through her body and she knew it for what it was: excitement. They were finally going to put all her training into action, a chance for her to prove that she was as useful as they thought she was! Looking around the room that had been hers for the past couple of weeks, she was unsure what she would need. Of course, there were the essentials but what did you take on an undercover operation like this? Hermione decided that a range of items would be better than nothing though so she picked up a bag and began placing them in, all the while, she kept playing out different scenarios in her head, wondering what would happen over the next few days and weeks.


	10. Dangerous territory

Hermione knew she should not be as excited as she was. The emotion pulsed through her as she returned to the living room. Everyone was waiting there for her and she schooled her face so she didn't appear as animated as she felt. She knew she had failed as soon as she walked in and felt her cheeks flush. "I'd reserve judgement until you've seen where you're going," Remus said. His words were kindly spoken and she nodded, knowing that his words were right.

"I know I should but it seems as though I have been cooped up here forever," she said with a small grin, unable to keep it from her face.

"You won't be smiling for long," Snape said. Hermione resisted rolling her eyes, how could he be so droll about something as exciting as this? They were getting out of their training facility where not much happened and out into the field! Sure, he may have done this a hundred times already but she was sure that the novelty didn't wear off.

"Just make sure you work together and stay safe," Moody said as he folded his arms over his chest.

"And look after each other," Tonks added. She stepped towards Hermione and embraced her. She returned the hug and patted her back.

"We'll be back before you know it," she said.

"I hope so." Tonks replied as she released her.

Hermione said her goodbyes to the rest of her companions before turning to her mentor and nodding. She was as ready as she would ever be. He regarded her with cold black eyes, as though she was a rather interesting bug, rather than a companion he would be travelling with. Suppressing a shiver, she gave a slight nod. His bony hand curled out to grip her shoulder and before she could blink again, the crushing sensation of sideways apparation ripped through her.

As soon as the world settled, the icy grip was released and she was left to take in their new surroundings. What she saw killed a lot of her excitement. They were inside a grungy, one bedroom bedsit. There was a single mattress on the floor that had a faded blue sheet and a thin blanket covering it. A battered table and a couple of chairs occupied the other side of the room and the kitchenette left a lot to be desired. Placing her bag on the floor, she crossed into the kitchen and looked it over. Hermione opened one of the drawers, which sent the others clattering down on top of it. Inside was cutlery, one knife, no forks and two spoons. She snorted.

The minute fridge was devoid of milk and a strange musty smell drifted out when it opened. One look at the window told her where the filtered light was coming from. She tugged it open and shook her head, "Well, it's not exactly The Ritz but it will do," she muttered. A cough escaped her lungs and she scanned the place again. No, it wasn't what she had expected at all!


	11. Future

If they were going to be able to live in the cesspit that was their base, there was going to have to be a few changes. Hermione had left Severus in the flat in order to go out and purchase a few essential items that they would need. Not least of all milk, sugar and tea. She also managed to find a kettle, some cheap pans for cooking in and a couple of tinned things that would do for dinner. It wouldn't be anything outstanding but it would suffice.

On her way back to the flat, she spotted a fabric store. Popping inside, she managed to pick up some blankets to go over the sofas – who knew what might be living inside them, a couple of thicker duvets, a much needed clean sheet and some pillows. They would be able to take turns sleeping on the bed and the sofa, that way; at least one of them would get a decent night's sleep. Hermione did her best not to think about the grime she would be returning to. She could only hope that Severus was doing something to clean up while she was out.

When she walked in, it was clear that he had. The windows had been cleaned and the fusty smell that had come from the fridge was now gone. She placed her bag down on the rickety table and let out a sigh, "Smells a bit better in here now," she said, "I brought a kettle, did you want a drink?" she asked.

He turned to regard her as though she was a rather interesting bug, a look she knew well enough from class. It soon faded when she mentioned making a hot drink and he nodded. She placed the kettle on as soon as it was set up and began pulling the linen from the bags. "I think, if we're going to have a successful future here, we're going to need these," she said.

"Why?" he asked.

She glanced over at the faded bed linen and the dusty chairs and gave a wry smile, "This place is gross, I am not sleeping there if I can't help it," she said indicating the sheets. He merely raised a black eyebrow at her before returning to whatever it was that he was doing. She poured out the drinks, aware that he took his coffee black and strong, without sugar and placed it on the counter next to him.

"We won't be here all that long," he said after a moment.

"I don't think that matters," she replied wrapping her hands around the mug. "I'm still not sleeping on threadbare sheets, the mattress is bad enough as it is."

She frowned when she looked up at him, was that the trace of a smile at the corners of his mouth? She thought it was. "What?" she asked. All he did was shake his head and go back to drinking the


	12. Exploration

Hermione was bored. The flat had been tidied, she had read the paper, twice and drank enough tea to sink a battleship. She knew she could read but she had grown accustomed to running and being active at this time of day. Now that she was enclosed in the flat, she found it very hard to sit still. Severus had become increasingly short with her, answering her at first with curt sentences. They had dropped to monosyllable answers and even they had dwindled away to mere nods and grunts. She looked at her watch a couple of times and wondered when something was going to happen.

After another five minutes of utter boredom, she let out a sigh and got to her feet, "I can't just sit here," she said, "I've got to do something!" Severus gave her a look that had all the warmth of the ice that sank the Titanic and she snorted. "I'm not sitting her for another moment," she rose and grabbed a couple of things from the bag that contained her clothing.

Heading to the bathroom, she changed into her running gear. Surely going for a run would stop her from feeling too restless. That was it, it was the pent up energy her body had been used to using at this time. Besides, she had no idea of where she was, not really and so an explore would not be a bad idea. This way, she could do two things at the same time. When she returned to the sitting room, Severus looked her up and down.

"Where are you going?" he asked softy.

"For a run," she shrugged. She expected him to argue, to tell her that she wasn't able to go. Several counter arguments formed in her mind but they died when he waved his hand dismissively.

The moment she stepped out of the flat, she felt as though a great oppression had been lifted from her shoulders. She began a slow jog and stuck to the pavement around her flat. The area was not particularly lovely; in fact, it was as tumbledown as the flat in which they now resided. Rubbish had gathered in several corners and although it was sunny, the brightness of the day didn't seem to quite reach this street. It was as though it had decided to spend its energy elsewhere, rather than waste it on this area.

Still, she was not going to be put off just because this street looked as though it had been overlooked by the sun. Turning the street corner, she trotted down the next turn. This one was not quite as dire as the one she currently lived on but it was giving it some fierce competition. She was so absorbed with looking at her surroundings; that she completely failed to notice that she was being followed. A figure in a dark coat stepped out of the shadows, a dark smile on his face, and turned to stalk the witch.


End file.
